Baseball Falls in Extras to San Diego State

SAN DIEGO – Despite nine strikeouts by junior right-hander Sean Carley, the WVU baseball team fell 2-1 to San Diego State in 10 innings on Saturday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

San Diego State pinch hitter Tyler Adkison came to the plate with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, and drove home the game-winning run with a fielder’s choice to third base. WVU junior third baseman Justin Fox attempted to turn a 5-4-3 double play, but Adkison just beat out the throw from second to first base.

“We’re going to play a lot of games like that this year. We have good pitching and we’re going to face a lot of good pitching, so when you play games like that you just can’t make mistakes,” coach Randy Mazey says. “Every mistake you make can cost you the game and both runs we gave up were on mental mistakes.”

Carley (0-0) took a no-decision in 7.0 innings, allowing one unearned run on seven hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. The nine strikeouts is a new season-high for a Mountaineer pitcher after junior left-hander Harrison Musgrave registered eight on Friday evening.

“Sean’s going to give us an opportunity to win every game he pitches,” Mazey says. “He’s a really good pitcher and pounds the strike zone with three different pitches. If this game was later in the year when his pitch count is up, he may go the distance and we may win the game.”

Each team had a chance to win the game in the ninth inning. In the top of the ninth, West Virginia had runners on first and se` cond base with one out, but was unable to capitalize. SDSU had a runner on second base with one out in the bottom of the ninth that junior catcher Cam O’Brien threw out trying to steal third base following a dropped third strike.

The game was scoreless entering the sixth inning until senior first baseman Ryan McBroom laced a two-out RBI double to right center field, giving WVU a 1-0 lead. Junior shortstop Taylor Munden led off the top of the sixth with a double off the left field wall, marking the first time the Mountaineers had a runner in scoring position, and then scored on McBroom’s double.

Steven Pallares tied the game at 1-1 for the Aztecs in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring on a throwing error by Carley. Greg Allen hit a comebacker that deflected off Carley’s glove and Carley hurried to try and get Allen out at first base to end the inning. The throw went into foul territory, allowing Pallares to score from second base, while McBroom alertly threw out the go-ahead run at the plate to end the inning.

SDSU starting pitcher Bubba Derby (0-0) was brilliant, allowing just one run on four hits in 8.0 innings. Derby struck out seven, walking one batter.

The rubber match is set for Sunday at noon. Junior left-hander John Means (1-0) will toe the rubber for the Mountaineers, while left-hander Brett Seeburger (1-0) will make his first start of the season for SDSU. Links to live stats and a video stream are available via WVUsports.com.